The Rainy Season Storms In

June 7, 2000|BY MEGAN O'MATZ Staff Writer

A pounding thunderstorm with wind gusts of almost 40 miles an hour hit South Florida on Tuesday afternoon, spawning a small tornado, causing fender benders and leaving 10,000 people in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties without electricity.

The National Weather Service reported that a tornado was sighted in Fort Lauderdale in the area of Northwest 27th Avenue and Broward Boulevard about 3:15 p.m.

Meteorologists said the tornado may have lifted up and touched down again near the beach between Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Port Everglades.

Dispatchers at Broward County Fire-Rescue saw the tornado from their fourth-floor windows on the northwest side of the Public Safety Building at 2601 W. Broward Blvd. "It didn't really seem to do much damage,'' said Assistant Fire Chief Michael Haygood. "Just blew some trees around and whatnot.''

No one was reported injured, though some wires and trees were down and the roof of a small shed was blown off. "All in all, we were pretty lucky,'' Haygood said.

National Weather Service radar in Miami also detected a water spout in the ocean east of Fort Lauderdale about 4 p.m.

One of the first major downpours of the rainy season, the cloudburst sent office workers scurrying to windows for a look.

In Room 207A of the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, U.S. District Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. recessed the Irish gunrunners' trial when the ceiling began leaking over the jury box.

"The rain was pouring in,'' said an aide to the judge.

The trial is expected to resume today, after repairs are made.

Downed power lines and blown fuses in transformer lines left thousands of Florida Power & Light customers in the dark at dinner time, while blinding sheets of rain put the brakes on rush-hour motorists.

A few accidents were reported at Sample Road and Northwest Fifth Terrace, where a traffic light was flashing, said Sgt. Mark Wysocky of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Some planes were diverted from Miami International Airport during the storm, which produced brilliant flashes of lightning.

Meteorologist Roberto Garcia said the thunderstorm developed across the interior section of South Florida and moved eastward, showering Miami and Fort Lauderdale in the process.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning and advised boaters to expect strong, gusty winds, heavy rain and hail.

Temperatures that reached 90 degrees coupled with ocean winds were to blame for the deluge, which was not viewed as an odd occurrence for this time of year.

"The rainy season has begun,'' Garcia said.

Today's forecast called for morning sunshine followed by "a good chance'' of late afternoon thunderstorms.

"You should see more of the same tomorrow,'' Garcia said Tuesday.

Megan O'Matz can be reached at momatz@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4518.